Kentucky governor backs longer list of conditions eligible for treatment under medical marijuana law

By BRUCE SCHREINER
Associated Press

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says access to medical marijuana in the state should expand to include more health conditions. He says the change would make 437,000 more Kentuckians eligible for treatment when the program begins next year. The measure passed by lawmakers in 2023 specified that eligible conditions include cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea and post-traumatic stress disorder. Beshear said Thursday that the list of conditions should grow to include ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Chron’s disease, sickle cell anemia, cachexia or wasting syndrome, neuropathies, severe arthritis, hepatitis C, fibromyalgia, muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, HIV, AIDS, glaucoma and terminal illness.